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Thread: Looking for Info on Enclosed Trailer for Kitfox 7

  1. #11
    Senior Member SkyPirate's Avatar
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    Default Re: Looking for Info on Enclosed Trailer for Kitfox 7

    Thanks Steve,

    I'll post photo's of the build and give build time ..I'm guestimating it will take 5 to 6 days to build. I have chop saw, wirefeed welder, tubing bender, and a square I use to build perimeter traliers for Chris Craft boats,..and built a few race car and equipment trailers ,..also did work for Raven trailer company,.. when they were behind ,..they would call me, I could build a complete 40 foot all aluminum T&T dump trailer and roll it out of the shop ready for the road in 5 days.

    Chase

  2. #12
    Senior Member SkyPirate's Avatar
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    Default Re: Looking for Info on Enclosed Trailer for Kitfox 7

    102" is the legal width for a trailer in all states,..SS 7 folded width is 96" that leaves 6 " for structural integrity of the trailer wall plus clearance for the trailer wall and the wing. a 1 inch thick wall built correctly ..like a cantelevered truss,..it will more then support the weight of the roof of the trailer providing you build it of like materials and don't park your truck on top of it

    Chase

  3. #13
    Senior Member jdmcbean's Avatar
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    Default Re: Looking for Info on Enclosed Trailer for Kitfox 7

    We are working with a local trailer manufacture currently. Hopefully we'll have some answers pretty soon.
    John McBean
    www.kitfoxaircraft.com
    208.337.5111

    "The Sky is not the Limit... It's a Playground"

  4. #14
    Senior Member SkyPirate's Avatar
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    Default Re: Looking for Info on Enclosed Trailer for Kitfox 7

    Good deal John ..

    Have you thought of building one for the purpose first and then having the manufacturer replicate it?


    Chase

  5. #15

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    Default Re: Looking for Info on Enclosed Trailer for Kitfox 7

    Hey All... I am looking to do the same thing. At one point I found a picture of someone's enclosed trailer they they built. It simply had aluminum spares and they covered it with that car transport fabric/canvas/heavy plastic stuff that you see tractor trailers have running down the highway.

    Has anyone seen these pics... I cannot find them again. :-(.

    The trailer was ideal in that it didn't need a ton of structural support and the weight that goes with it. The Kitfox weighs sub-700 lbs so I cannot justify purchasing or pulling a double axle trailer for such little weight.

    ~Jason

  6. #16
    Senior Member SkyPirate's Avatar
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    Default Re: Looking for Info on Enclosed Trailer for Kitfox 7

    that's how I feel about it too ..the lighter the trailer the better because of it's minimal load ,..but I'm going to build with tandem axles for stability,. 4 tires on the ground for side loads is better then 2.I'm looking for a end result of a 2000 lb to 2500 lb trailer,..I want it to have some weight because of road turbulance,..if it's too light with 24 foot or greater of side area by 7 foot or 8 foot tall ..thats allot of surface that will be pushed around by passing trucks and cross winds on the road,..unless your intent is to haul it once to the airport and park it for a mobile hangar,..or you have a short distance to go from home to the airport ..I plan on going to fly-ins all over the country and not be limited by weather,..day or night,..etc. to get there.
    If you want the lightest manufacturered trailer on the market ..look into a 6 place snow mobile trailer and put a Tarp cover on it,..the trailer will be 24' long x 102"wide with tandem axles and 12 inch tires,..,..6 times minimum of 600 lbs a sled up to 800 lbs is 3600 lbs to 4800 lbs so it will still be built heavier then needed for the kitfox.
    A perimeter framed trailer keeps the deck low,..and your using the truss style walls of the trailer to keep the deck flat ,..so lighter materials can be used, instead of the conventional twin 6 inch I beams and the deck mounted on top of it,..which raises the deck hieght and adds allot of weight.
    look down the inside of the tail of a kitfox ..it's basically very light materials in a truss form making it very strong ,..same with the wing ..it also has a truss design..very strong ..very light.
    Trailers handle like airplanes in a sense too ..the lighter the plane ..the more you get bounced around in turbulance /wind ..the lighter the trailer ..the more it gets pushed around by turbulance /wind .
    take a light trailer for a 10 mile run with single axle 24' long 7 foot high sides,..stay between 45 mph and 55 mph .. stop at the end of the 10 mile trip,.. walk back and put your hand on that single tire,..garauntee it's going to be hot ..not totally because of it's weighted load .but also...because of it's side load pushing the tires sideways ..same as doing a donut in a car ..those tires get hot
    Now take the same size trailer for a 10 mile run but this time with tandems,.. same weight ,..same speeds ...garauntee the tires are cooler.

    Not trying to push anything on anyone concerning a trailer ..but take into consideration all factors with a trailer of this size we are talking about before committing to a build,..
    ask someone who has pulled a single axle camper trailer compared to a tandem axle camper trailer,.. at speed on the road,..
    I know from hauling mobile homes all over the north east ..to get the house to trail straight behind me I had to be going at least 45 mph ..any less then that it dogged to the curb making the trailer travel sideways ..and they had up to 6 axles on them.,..granted it's also more weight and allot longer at 80 ' then the 24' we are talking about. the longer the "arm" (trailer) the more the forces effect it. the smaller the tow vehicle (smaller/lighter..)the more the trailer will effect it's handling when it's pushed around on the road.

    this is why I'm doing a goose neck,..the hitch is right above the axle and forward by 6 inches,..if the trailer gets pushed around by passing trucks etc..its not going to be pushing 4 foot behind the axle of the towing truck at the bumper hitch ..but rather 6 inches ahead of the axle of the towing truck at the goose neck hitch..so all four tires on the truck inherantly add stability to the trailer, and the trailer doesn't take any stability away from the towing truck if it is subject to side loads from passing trucks etc.

    OK I've typed enough ha ha got a short book started here on the characteritics of towing a trailer bumper hitch /versus goose neck..sheesh

    Chase

  7. #17
    Senior Member SkyPirate's Avatar
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    Default Re: Looking for Info on Enclosed Trailer for Kitfox 7

    I just got off the phone with feather lite ..they have an industrail approach to their trailer designs so it's built heavier/stronger then the purpose we are looking for,.. an all aluminum feather lite trailer which scales out at 4800 lbs empty would cost a buyer ..wait ..are you sitting down?? $28,000.00 no bells or whistles,..bare bones trailer .. holy *&^%

    just some trailer info from trailer builders .. they will not build a single axle trailer over 10 foot long that has a box container

    So I'm still committed to building my own tandem gooseneck.

  8. #18

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    Default Re: Looking for Info on Enclosed Trailer for Kitfox 7

    Custom Trailerwerks, Inc. here locally quoted about the same for a 1 off. They said we might be able to save a few thousand if we got an existing 24 ft trailer and "reworked" the rear door and frame. Theirs did have a tool box on the tongue.
    Last edited by enyaw; 08-14-2009 at 04:41 PM.

  9. #19
    Senior Member SkyPirate's Avatar
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    Default Re: Looking for Info on Enclosed Trailer for Kitfox 7

    I looked into re working the back door on a used trailer,..it has possibilities,..it would depend on the wall structure,..most I've looked at rely on the 3" x 1 1/2" 1/4" wall tubing frame of the rear door for integrity of the "box"
    since the kitfox isn't "square" ..there is room to modify the trailer's back opening and put gussets both top and bottom to keep the integrity,..then add some 14 gauge box tubing on each side of the ramp door to fill the gap,..it would probably be the quickest and most cost effective route to fill the need.
    I've seen used enclosed trailers on the marklet from $2500 to $4500
    the things to look for on a used trailer are if any springs are broke ,..the spring hangars for wallowed out connection points ,..tire wear ..if it's got a bent axle the tires will wear funny,...look to see if the axle has slide forward or back ..sometimes uneven tire wear can be the result of a broken center bolt, take a unmounted trailer ball with you the size of the reciever,..put it in and lock the hitch onto the ball try to move it around,..if it's got allot of slop ..there is some adjustment to tighten it ..
    take the time and adjust it ..if it tightens up good ..then your ok,.if it doesn't, the ball clamp could be bent,.. check safety chain connect points,..the battery and break away switch,..to check this hook up to the trailer ..do not connect any wire connections ..first pull ahead to see how much drag the trailer puts on the tow vehicle,..then pull the break away switch .. try to pull the trailer ..the brakes should come on with the break away switch engaged and skid when you try to pull it,,it if doesn't ..either the battery is dead ..or there is a broken wire to the brakes or the brakes themselves aren't in proper working order or worn out ,..now hook up the connections for the lights and brakes ..try them again if you have a brake actuator on board the tow vehicle.

    Chase
    Last edited by SkyPirate; 08-19-2009 at 08:20 AM.

  10. #20
    Senior Member SkyPirate's Avatar
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    Default Re: Looking for Info on Enclosed Trailer for Kitfox 7

    no problem Mike be glad to help you out ..cover my air fair?? ha ha

    Chase

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